A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT - 7.6 Earthquake 160 miles from Vanuatu

[Subdivisions]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010wubj.html

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/messages/pacific/2010/pacific.2010.05.27.173725.txt
TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 002
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 1739Z 27 MAY 2010

NOTE: ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIMES IN THE FIRST BULLETIN WERE
INCORRECT AND THEY HAVE BEEN CORRECTED IN THIS BULLETIN.

THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC
OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS...EXCEPT ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA...
WASHINGTON...OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.

... A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT ...

A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR

VANUATU / SOLOMON IS. / NEW CALEDONIA

FOR ALL OTHER AREAS COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN... IT IS FOR
INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME.

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 1715Z 27 MAY 2010
COORDINATES - 13.7 SOUTH 166.5 EAST
DEPTH - 20 KM
LOCATION - VANUATU ISLANDS
MAGNITUDE - 7.3

EVALUATION

IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS WARNING IS
BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AN EARTHQUAKE OF THIS
SIZE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN
STRIKE COASTLINES IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER WITHIN MINUTES
TO HOURS. AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS POSSIBILITY. THIS CENTER WILL CONTINUE
TO MONITOR SEA LEVEL GAUGES NEAREST THE REGION AND REPORT IF ANY
TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED. THE WARNING WILL NOT EXPAND
TO OTHER AREAS OF THE PACIFIC UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED
TO WARRANT SUCH AN EXPANSION.

ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS
WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL
ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN
SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.

LOCATION FORECAST POINT COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME
-------------------------------- ------------ ------------
VANUATU ESPERITU SANTO 15.1S 167.3E 1737Z 27 MAY
ANATOM IS. 20.2S 169.9E 1831Z 27 MAY
SOLOMON IS. KIRAKIRA 10.4S 161.9E 1805Z 27 MAY
GHATERE 7.8S 159.2E 1845Z 27 MAY
MUNDA 8.4S 157.2E 1848Z 27 MAY
AUKI 8.8S 160.6E 1852Z 27 MAY
HONIARA 9.3S 160.0E 1852Z 27 MAY
NEW CALEDONIA NOUMEA 22.3S 166.5E 1923Z 27 MAY

BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE TSUNAMI WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE PRODUCTS
FOR ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA...WASHINGTON...OREGON...CALIFORNIA.